English And Rhodes Have Quests

Willie English Will Try To Get To The Nfl, While David Rhodes Will Return For The Knights.

November 28, 1993|By Jerry Greene of The Sentinel Staff

YOUNGSTOWN, OHIO — David Rhodes and Willie English, two football players for the University of Central Florida, quickly and quietly dressed, lost in their thoughts moments after the Knights lost their dreams of a Division I-AA national championship.

Two players - one who will be back and one who will not.

''Oh, yes, I'll be back,'' Rhodes said in a prompted whisper. ''We'll be back to take another shot because we're not finished yet.''

Not English. The UCF senior played his final game, rushing for 58 yards and leaving behind a school career rushing record of 3,206 yards, including 906 this season.

''I've had my time here,'' English said. ''They've got guys who can replace me. Gerod Davis and Mike Huff will get the job done.''

English has a quest of his own. He hopes to get in at least one all-star bowl game to display his talent before the NFL scouts. Then, he said, ''Hopefully I'll get my chance to play in the NFL.''

As for Rhodes and most of the other Knights, the hope already is growing to get back to the I-AA playoffs in 1994. There was little feeling of satisfaction in defeat even though they finished the season with a 9-3 record and No. 12 ranking in the nation.

''I'm already starting to look forward to next year,'' said Huff, a freshman running back. ''I came to UCF because I knew this is a winning team.''

Sometimes a team can have winning efforts in a losing cause. Saturday's 56-30 loss to Youngstown State included an amazing performance by Rhodes, a 195-pound, 6-1 junior from Mulberry. Rhodes caught 12 passes for 220 yards, breaking the UCF single-game yardage record of 208 by Bernard Ford in 1987.

He also broke the UCF single-season record for number of receptions with 90 in 12 games. The record had been 82 by Ford in 13 games in 1987.

And Rhodes' three touchdown catches gave him 15 for the year, passing Bret Cooper's school record of 14 set last year. Cooper now coaches UCF's tight ends.

''If I were selfish, I might be thinking about that,'' Rhodes said. ''But that's not what it's all about. It's about being a family and getting the job done.

''When we earn respect, we earn it together.''

Willie English. David Rhodes. All the rest of the 1993 Knights. They lost their last game and some must leave, but the family will be back.